University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Drop Weight Testing of Brass Breakaway Couplings

Kuchma, Daniel; Hart, Christopher; Hahin, Christopher

Content Files
FHWA-ICT-11-093.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/45824

Description

Title
Drop Weight Testing of Brass Breakaway Couplings
Author(s)
  • Kuchma, Daniel
  • Hart, Christopher
  • Hahin, Christopher
Issue Date
2011-09
Keyword(s)
  • Brass Couplings
  • Breakaway
  • Light Poles
  • Steel Couplings
Date of Ingest
2013-09-25T21:03:01Z
Abstract
This was the first phase of an investigation to determine the suitability of free-cutting brass couplings for use in minimizing vehicular damage and driver or passenger injury when light poles are impacted. Breakaway couplings are required by Federal regulation to fracture when a modest size sedan travelling at 20 miles per hour or greater impacts a supported light pole. The required limit of impact deceleration that would be experienced by persons in this vehicle is limited to 5 m/s [16.4 ft/sec] at 20 and 60 mph. These brass couplings are intended to replace currently used aluminum or steel couplings, which could potentially save significant resources for the State of Illinois, as well as other states. This investigation used drop weight testing on a short strike tube that was attached to the couplings and then to a concrete pedestal which simulated an actual concrete foundation. The focus of the drop weight testing was to determine the size and depth of grooves needed to be cut into the brass couplings to provide the desired breakaway performance. This testing compared a variety of designs produced by the Illinois DOT with the Transpo SPM 4100 high strength steel coupling which had already been approved by the Federal Highway Administration. The test program used a rigid steel cylinder and thick base plate which simulated an actual light pole. Because of the nature of the drop weight test set up, certain variables, including the weight of the light pole and luminaires, its stiffness and radius of gyration, and stiffness of the impact point in an actual crash, could not be simulated. However, these variables were tested later in full scale pendulum impact tests in the second phase of this project.
Series/Report Name or Number
FHWA-ICT-11-093
ISSN
0197-9191
Type of Resource
text
Genre of Resource
Technical Report
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/45824
Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)
Illinois Department of Transportation ICT R27-26
Copyright and License Information
No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161

Owning Collections

Research and Publications - Illinois Center for Transportation PRIMARY